Tapping device for a keg tap

ABSTRACT

The present invention concerns a tapping device for a keg tap with a holding element (17) for a socket (1) having a keg connection and therein beer pipe (2) sealed off against a pressure chamber with tap valve and tapping element (9) in which, according to the invention, the socket (1) has a spiral-shaped slot (3) with a pitch corresponding at least to the opening path of the valve opening element (9), into the socket (1), a bayonet collar can be introduced from above which has its own slot (3&#39;) which can be brought into congruence with the slot, as well as an opposite-lying guiding edge (26) of the same pitch, whereby a downwardly open entrance is associated with the guiding edge (26). Between the bayonet collar (4) and the socket (1) is movable held an inwardly hollow tapping plunger (6) with a valve opening element (9) and connected with a circumferential lifting lever (7) passing through the slot (3, 3&#39;), lying opposite which is arranged a counter spigot (8) guided on the guiding edge (26). Into the tapping plunger (6) is pushed an immersion plunger (13), provided with O-ring (10, 11, 12), which inwardly has a pressure chamber (14) sealed off against the tapping plunger (6) and a connecting bore (15) to this. The immersion plunger (13) carries on the inside the beer pipe (2) provided with a bottom seal (16), whereby, between immersion plunger (13) and beer pipe (2), a free space is left free as pressure chamber (37). The socket (1) possesses, connecting on to the holding element (17), a collar (18) against which is sealed the tapping plunger (6) with an upper O-ring (19), whereby a transverse bore (20) runs in the tapping plunger below the O-ring.

The present invention concerns a new tapping device for a keg tap thistapping device is thereby a part of a beer tap device which can beplaced on a keg such as described, e.g. in European Patent 0 283 797 orin German Utility Model 91 10 371.

In the case of the prior art, the opening of the keg valve takes placewith the help of a tapping element which is mechanically moveddownwardly a ring nut (EP 0 283 797) or by a lever (DE-U 91 10 371). Thetapping device is thereby fixed on the keg e.g. with the help of aratchet, in the interior of the tapping element is present the beer pipevia which it passes to the spigot.

The inner pressure in the keg necessary herefor is maintained with thehelp of a hand pump or with the help of CO₂ cartridges, the presentinvention is suitable for both procedures.

The problem in the case of the prior art is that, on the one hand, theoperating of the tapping device with the help of a screw ring islaborious and, on the other hand, a lever tilting from above downwardlypresupposes a large constructional height in order that the lever doesnot lie on the keg rim. A further disadvantage consists in that thereleasing must take place with two hands since, before the raising ofthe lever, a stop notch must be released.

Therefore, the present invention has set itself the task of providing atapping device for a keg tap which permits a one-handed operation and,at the same time, only a small constructional height.

The solution of this task succeeds with a tapping device for a keg tapwith a holding element for a socket having a keg connection and thereina beer pipe, sealed off against a pressure chamber, with tap valve andtapping element in which, according to the invention, the socket has aspirally-shaped slot with a pitch corresponding at least to the openingpath of the valve opening element. Into the socket from above can beintroduced a bayonet collar which has its own slot which can be broughtinto alignment with the slot, as well as an opposite-lying guiding edgeof the same pitch, whereby the guiding edge is associated with adownwardly open entrance. Between the bayonet collar and the socket ismovably held an interior-hollow tapping plunger with a valve-openingelement and connected with a circumferential lifting lever to which isarranged lying opposite a counter spigot on the guiding edge. Into thetapping plunger is pushed an immersion plunger provided with O-ringswhich inside has a pressure chamber sealed off against the tappingplunger and has a connecting bore thereto. Inwardly lying, the immersionplunger carries the beer pipe provided with bottom seal, whereby,between immersion plunger and beer pipe, a free space is left free aspressure chamber. The socket possesses, connecting to the holdingelement, a collar against which the tapping plunger is sealed off withan upper O-ring, whereby, below the O-ring, a transverse bore runs inthe tapping plunger.

With the present invention, it is possible for the first time, by aradial turning of the circumferential lever bringing about the openingof the keg, to make the connection of the beer pipe from keg to tap,whereby one turn of the lever suffices and the movement of which islimited to the working path of the tapping plunger.

The device is suitable not only for taps equipped with air pumps butalso with CO₂ connection.

The circumferential lifting lever and the counter spigot can be held byfriction against the opening pressure of the keg valve spring in theopen position, i.e. on the lower end of the spiral, e.g. by alteredpitch of the spiral.

Preferred, however, is a forced holding, for which purpose, in simplemanner, the slots on the lower end of the spiral have upwardly domedcatch recesses.

For the use of the tap with CO₂ connection in the form of cartridges orbottles, the device can be provided with a valve which closes the gasoutlet in the case of lifting of the valve opening element. For thispurpose, it is suggested to provide the tapping plunger below thetransverse bore with a second O-ring sealing and to widen the collardownwardly funnel shaped, whereby this second O-ring seal, in the caseof descent of the tapping plunger, reaches into the region of thewidening and opens the pressure gas path and, vice versa, in the case oflifting of the plunger, lies sealingly on the collar inner wall andcloses the gas path.

For the strain-free guiding of the tapping plunger, the tapping plungercan have an upper plate, preferably a double plate, the edge (edges) ofwhich slidingly lie in the bayonet collar and guide the tapping plungertilt-free. Furthermore, in the plate there is preferably formed theseating for the circumferential lifting lever and this has an assemblyopening, accessible from above, for the introduction of a locking pinwhich, connects the circumferential lifting lever with the tappingplunger.

The present invention will be explained in more detail on the basis ofthe accompanying Figures.

FIG. 1 shows an exploded drawing of the tapping device

FIG. 2 shows this assembled in section

FIG. 3 shows a side view thereof.

In FIG. 1, the beer pipe 2 is shown with a bottom seal 16 which, on thehead end, is provided with a spigot bore 29 and a pressure medium bore30. This beer pipe is pushed into the inwardly hollow immersion plunger13 and possesses in its inner wall a smaller dimension so that anannular space results via which the pressure medium (CO₂ air from a handpump) can pass from the pressure medium bore 30 into the lower part ofthe immersion plunger 13 up to the bottom seal, whereby the lower end ofthe beer pipe 2 and the lower end of the immersion plunger--where, afterassembly, the bottom seals 16 also rests--somewhat coincide.

The immersion plunger possess three O-rings 10, 11, 12, as well as,below the middle O-ring 11, a connecting bore 15 via which the pressuremedium can emerge from the ring space between beer pipe 2 and immersionplunger 13.

After complete assembly, immersion plunger 13 and beer pipe 2 rest inthe tapping plunger 6 and, after assembly of the remaining pans, arepushed into these from above, whereby the O-rings 10, 11, 12 liesealingly against the inner wall of the tapping plunger 6 also having alongitudinal bore 31.

Furthermore, the device has a socket 1, the bayonet collar 4 and thecircumferential lifting lever 7 with grip 32 and grip cover 33. Thesocket 1 is a hollow cylinder and possesses below a holding element 17in the form of a thread which can be screwed into a correspondingcounter thread of a keg, as well as a spiral shaped slot 3 of uniform orvariable pitch. The bayonet collar 4 has a congruent slot 3' and lyingopposite a slot of the same pitch or at least an upper guide edge 26with downwardly open entrance 5, as well as inner stops 34 as rest forthe bottom plate 35 of the spigot connection.

The tapping plunger upwardly has a plate 22 with a counter spigot 8lying opposite the circumferential lifting lever (steel) 7 and,furthermore, a seat 23 for the lever 7, as well as an assembly opening27 accessible from above for the mounting of a locking pin 36 passingthrough on one side. To this is connected a tubular piece with O-rings19, 19' between which lies the transverse bore 20 for the passing on ofthe pressure provided via the connecting bore 15.

For the assembly, the tapping plunger 6 is first pushed into the socket1 and thereafter the bayonet collar 4 onto the tapping plunger, wherebythe counter spigot 8 passes through the entrance 5 and lies against theguiding edge 26. The slots 3, 3' are thereby repeated by the guidingedge 26 displaced by 180°. Subsequently, the circumferential liftinglever is pushed in from the outside into the plate 22 of the tappingplunger and fixed by the fixing pin 24. Thereafter grip 32 and gripcover 33 are fixed to the circumferential lifting lever 7 and immersionplunger 13 with beer pipe 2 and tap connection 28 introduced from abovethrough the bayonet collar 4 into the tapping plunger 6. Insofar as isnecessary, the parts are fixed (screwed, locked) with regard to oneanother. If one now moves the lever 7 along the slots 3, 3', then thismakes a turning movement, i.e. it moves in circumferential directionand, at the same time, upwards or downwards, just like the counterspigot 8 along the edge 26. This edge 26 can be part of a slotanalogously having an entrance with the lever movement, the tappingplunger also rotates co-axially and performs a corresponding upwards ordownwards movement and, in the latter case, opens the keg valve.

FIG. 2 shows the socket 1 with bayonet collar 4 and tapping plunger 6,in the plate 22 of which the seating 23 for the lever 7 and the seatingof the counter spigot 8 against the guiding edge 26. In the bottom ofthe socket 1 is arranged the collar 18 in which the O-rings 19 and 19'of the tapping plunger 6 lie tightly and between which is formed apressure chamber 37 closed off to the outside in the illustrated upperposition of the tapping plunger 6.

If the tapping plunger 6 is moved downwardly, then the lower O-ring seal19' passes into the region of the funnel-shaped widening 21 and opensthe pressure chamber 37 below (whereby the keg valve is simultaneouslyoperated) and pressure gas is able to pass out via the transverse bore20 into the keg.

On the other hand, in the case of lifting of the tapping plunger 6, thepressure chamber 37 is closed which means that no CO₂ can escape fromthe cartridge connection in the case of changing of the keg or someother dismantling.

FIG. 3 shows the outside view of the parts illustrated in FIG. 2 withthe bottom thread of the socket as holding element 17 on the keg, belowwhich a sealing ring is applied in known manner.

This slot has, from end to end, a height difference which corresponds atleast to the opening path of the tapping element 9 (FIG. 2), as well as,as locking for the lever 7 in the lower position, an upwardly domed stoprecess unto which the lever is pressed through the keg valve so that itcannot automatically move.

    ______________________________________                                        List of references                                                            ______________________________________                                        1              socket                                                         2              beer pipe                                                      3, 3'          slot                                                           4              bayonet collar                                                 5              entrance                                                       6              tapping plunger                                                7              circumferential lifting lever                                  8              counter spigot                                                 9              tapping element                                                10, 11, 12     O-rings                                                        13             immersion plunger                                              14             pressure chamber                                               15             connecting bore                                                16             bottom seal                                                    17             holding element                                                18             collar                                                         19, 19'        O-rings                                                        20             transverse bore                                                21             widening                                                       22             plate                                                          23             seat                                                           24             fixing pin                                                     25             notch recess                                                   26             guiding edge                                                   27             assembly opening                                               28             tap connection                                                 29             tap guide                                                      30             pressure medium bore                                           31             longitudinal bore                                              32             grip                                                           33             grip-cover                                                     34             stops                                                          35             bottom plate                                                   36             locking pin                                                    37             pressure chamber                                               ______________________________________                                    

I claim:
 1. A tapping device for keg taps comprising:a socket with anupper and a lower end, the socket having a holding element forconnection to a keg valve and a first spiral shaped slot; a bayonetcollar within the socket, the bayonet collar having a second spiralshaped slot which is congruent with the first slot and having a pitchthat is the same as a pitch of the first slot, the bayonet collar alsohaving a guiding edge of the same pitch as the second slot and lyingopposite to the second slot, the guiding edge having an entrance opentowards the lower end of the socket; an inwardly hollow tapping plungermovably held inside the socket and the bayonet collar, the tappingplunger having a valve opening element; a circumferential lifting leverconnected to the tapping plunger and passing through the first slot andthe second slot; a counter spigot connected to a side of the tappingplunger that is opposite a connection of the lifting lever to thetapping plunger, the counter spigot being guided on the guiding edge; animmersion plunger within the tapping plunger, the immersion plungerhaving three spaced O-rings and between two of the three O-rings is aconnecting bore; a beer pipe contained within the immersion plunger, thebeer pipe having a bottom seal, and between the bottom seal, theimmersion plunger and the beer pipe is an annular free space thatconstitutes a first pressure chamber; and a collar in the lower end ofthe socket, connected to the holding element, with the tapping plungersealed off against the collar by a two additional O-rings to form asecond pressure chamber, and between the two additional O-rings runs atransverse bore in the tapping plunger.
 2. Tapping device according toclaim 1, wherein the first slot and the second slot have lower top notchrecesses.
 3. Tapping device according to claim 2, wherein the collar hasa funnel shaped widening.
 4. Tapping device according to claim 2,wherein the tapping plunger has an upper plate guided on the inner wallof the bayonet collar.
 5. Tapping device according to claim 2, furthercomprising an upper plate connected to the tapping plunger, the platehaving a seat for the circumferential lever and an upper assemblyopening for the mounting of a fixing pin.
 6. Tapping device according toclaim 1, wherein the collar has a funnel shaped widening.
 7. Tappingdevice according to claim 6, wherein the tapping plunger has an upperplate guided on the inner wall of the bayonet collar.
 8. Tapping deviceaccording to claim 6, further comprising an upper plate connected to thetapping plunger, the plate having a seat for the circumferential leverand an upper assembly opening for the mounting of a fixing pin. 9.Tapping device according to claim 1, wherein the tapping plunger has anupper plate guided on the inner wall of the bayonet collar.
 10. Tappingdevice according to claim 9, wherein the plate has a seat for thecircumferential lever and an upper assembly opening for the mounting ofa fixing pin.
 11. Tapping device according to claim 1, furthercomprising an upper plate connected to the tapping plunger, the platehaving a seat for the circumferential lever and an upper assemblyopening for mounting a fixing pin.
 12. A tapping device according toclaim 1, wherein the pitch of the first spiral shaped slot correspondsto at least a opening path of the valve-opening element such thatturning the circumferential lever opens the keg valve and connects thebeer pipe from a keg to a tap.
 13. A tapping device according to claim12, wherein the turning of the lever is limited to a working path of thetapping plunger.